Yet Sunday's game featuring the Lions and Rams ended with a small scrum, as Rams guard Harvey Dahl pushed down Lions tackle Ndamukong Suh. While players from both sides jawed back and forth, officials stepped in to stop things from escalating into a fight.

Cortland Finnegan and Stephen Tulloch locked up on the periphery of the action, playfully exchanging jabs. The two were teammates for five seasons in Tennessee, where they played under current Rams coach Jeff Fisher. Lions coach Jim Schwartz was their defensive coordinator for three of those seasons.

Eastin, of course, had no way of knowing any of this.

She rushed over to stop the faux fracas, just in time for the pair to turn and reveal wide smiles. Associated Press photographer Paul Sancya snapped a picture as the NFL's first female official was let in on the joke.

The 42-year-old resident of Tempe, Ariz., has worked as a referee in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and has 16 years of experience.